Martinsburg daily gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1887-1887, 1887-05-27
THE HUMAN MEMORY.
EXTENT TO WHICH II MAY HE Gull.
TlvATEO AND STRENGTHENED.

TivATEO AND STRENGTHENED.
The Glasses Most BENEFITED ~ Good
1Iemory-Lawysrso on Cross Examination
Of Witnesses-The Actor and his Lines
-Quick Studies.
There Is one facs perfectly wen estab-
lished about the memory now, and that Is
that more than any other faculty Of the
mind it may be cultivated, strengthened
and improved. It stands absolutely alone
In this respect. The imaginative faculty,
the reassuring powers, indeed all the nat
ural operations of the mind, may be devel-
oped; but the memory, properly trained,
accomplishes marvels, and, like Jacks
beanstalk, grows to the skies In o single
night, or at least within very short pc
Rod Of time Indeed you may plant the
seed and raise the flower. Cases stand on
record where men and women have started
with no memory at all, with positive in
ability to recall past events, names, figures,
dates, ETC., and have educated themselves
to do all this with promptness and GER
tainty. And this much cannot be said for
any other of our mental possessions.
AS an illustration of the closeness with
which lawyers study the human memory,
the writer remembers being very much
impressed one day, several years ago, with
some comments made by the late Francis
Bangs on the testimony Of q witness
whom he had examined the previous day
in the course Of well known case which
was then pending. Mr.. Bangs was q
marvelousIy keen and rapid questioner
on cross examinations End he had tripped
mp the witness referred to so that he had
contradicted himself fatty. The point
had no particular bearing on the case, but
the unexpected withdkS val BY the witnssi
Of statement which ne had previously
mnde and reiterated ! it'll peculiar posi-.
tiveness tended to after his credihlity.
'sAnd yet, = said the lawyer, speaking
Of the circumstance, 1.-THE man was all
right, think. Bad as the thing looked,
and his whole testimony was undoubtedly
cIouded by the contradiction, believe bic
was honest iii his first misstatement
have been absolutely amazed more than
once by the persistency with which wit
nesses often declare that they have done
things which. they have never d6ne, and
they do not get the thing straight until
questions under cross examination call up
some association Of ideas or actually de-
impossible. And then. they take it all
back. If witness of this kind is ON the
other side don't mind, but IL the witness
belongs to me 1t makes me feel pretty
ugly"
QUESTIONING A WITNESS.
It is the readiness Of memory in law
yer which makes him an adept at cross
examination. It is his skill in this direc.
ton which enables him to yoke the an
swer just given with the answer Of an
hour before and probe the witness as to its
inconsistency. And it behOoveS the man
of law, therefore, to cultivate his memory,
just as it would appear to be the wisest
move on the part. of the modern alder
manic witness to cultivate his forgetful-
ness. But this Is only an appearance. II
is only the witness who remembers well
and is able to recall the circumstances
wildly about which he is questioned, and
can adjust their relative Importance, who
can forget with any success. The non M
ricordo man, who forgets everything, o.
clUmsily Is soon tripped up.
The actor would seem to have more use
for his memory than the men and women
of other professions. He is compelled moi
only to remember ideas but exact words
and when his task on single production
Is multiplied by the number In which he
takes part during his career, the results
which he achieves appear almost incred.
ible, and 1t Is obvious that no such tash
Is made on the actors memory now II
these days Of combination and indefinite
repetition of parts as was made in the days
of stock companies, when programmes
were in constant condition Of rearrange
ment and the bringing forward Of 9 new
| play was almost nightly occurrence
Then parts were studied over night, or y
the best within afew days, And two o.